March to show support for family after thugs dig up their son's grave

Helen Maughan and her husband Joe beside the desecrated grave of their son Bobby

A Dublin community will march in a show of support for a family whose son's grave was desecrated in an attempt to intimidate them.

The Maughan family - whose son William and his Latvian girlfriend Anna Varslavane are believed to have been murdered - were horrified to discover the desecration of William's brother Michael's grave last week.

William and Anna have been missing since April 2015 and are thought to have been murdered by a specific gang. The chief suspect in their killing is due for a bail hearing in the coming weeks.

Following a plea in this newspaper to keep the criminal behind bars from William's parents Joe and Helen, their son's grave, in Bohernabreen Cemetery in Tallaght, was dug up in what is thought to be an act of intimidation.

The local community in Tallaght have come together to support the family in the wake of the horrifying act.

A solidarity march will take place on Thursday at 6.30pm starting in the home of the Maughans in Cushlawn Park. Supporters will march with the family to Michael's grave.

People have been asked to wear yellow and white ribbons to represent justice and missing people. Balloons will also be let go during the march.

William's brother, father-of-four Michael 'Bobby' Maughan (30), passed away from meningitis in April 2008. His grave, was destroyed after thugs dug four foot down early last Thursday morning. A tape recorder which was laid on the coffin was exposed.

Devastated father Joe described the thugs behind the vandalism of the grave as "the lowest scum" on earth.

"What kind of people are out there? What happened here is the worst of the worst, but that won't stop me fighting for justice for my son.

"Me and my family will go to our graves, but we will get justice in the end," he said.

Local councillor Dermot Richardson, who is a friend of the family and is helping to organise the march, said support from the family has come from all over Dublin and not just Tallaght. "The family will not be intimidated by anyone," he said.

Support

While the march will mark a week on from when the family made the grim discovery, it is also taking place to show support for all families of missing persons.

"Since William and Anna went missing I've seen the anguish the family go through.

"But it is not just this family. We are asking people to clear their conscience and tell someone what they know [about missing people]," Cllr Richardson told Herald.